Tension is rising in Niger State over the State government’s order to shut down Badeggi FM and revoke its licence. The move, which came directly from Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, has drawn heavy criticism from rights groups, opposition voices, and the public.
The government claimed the station was guilty of “unethical broadcasting” and “inciting the public against the state.”
The governor also directed the Commissioner of Police and Homeland Security to seal the premises and ordered that the station’s land title be revoked.
Amnesty International didn’t mince words. In a viral Facebook post, the global human rights watchdog condemned the action as “misguided and unjustifiable“.
“While bandits and insurgents are ravaging the Niger state through killings and massive displacements of rural communities, with both the federal government and Niger state failing to protect lives, pointing accusing fingers at a radio station clearly shows a failure of leadership,” the group said.
Amnesty demanded that, “Governor Bago must immediately withdraw his unlawful order. Under Nigerian laws, the governor has no power to order the closure of a radio station. Choosing to bizarrely blame a radio station for the inexcusable security failures of the government is an open attack on media freedom.”
Minister Says Only NBC Has Power to Revoke Licence
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has reacted.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim, the Minister said the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) alone has the legal power to suspend or revoke a broadcast licence.
“While acknowledging the concerns raised, the Ministry notes that the suspension of broadcasting licenses falls within the purview of the NBC, as stipulated by law,” the statement read.
The Minister welcomed the state’s decision to report the station to NBC, but urged restraint.
“The Minister appeals to all parties to remain calm, assuring that the NBC has the necessary mechanisms to resolve the issue in a fair and impartial manner,” it added.
Governor Bago’s action has also drawn fire from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which described it as authoritarian and undemocratic.
ADC Warns: This Is How Autocracy Begins
ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, issued a sharp rebuke, warning that the clampdown on Badeggi FM was a threat to democracy.
“This is nothing short of a brazen assault on press freedom…reminiscent of the worst form of military dictatorship,” he said.
The party reminded Governor Bago that “he was elected by the same people whose truth he now finds so uncomfortable.”
Citing Section 2(1)(b) of the NBC Act, the party stressed that only the NBC can lawfully sanction a radio station—not a governor.
“By criminalising free speech and declaring dissent as treason, Governor Bago has demonstrated scant regard for the constitution he swore to uphold,” ADC added.
It warned that allowing this kind of precedent could embolden more anti-democratic moves across the country.
“Today it is Badeggi FM. Tomorrow, it could be a newspaper, a social media page, or a journalist asking the ‘wrong questions.’”
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